Mechanism for propelling vessels



(No Model.)

B. PALMER.

Mechanism for Propellng Vessels.

No. 234,607. Patented Nov. 16,1880.

HQ u@ joer MMM N. PETERS. PHDTOLITMOGRAPMER. WASNXNGTON. D C.

UNTTED STaTEs FaTeNT Tris' BENJAMIN PALMER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MECHANlSlVl FOR PROPELLING VESSELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 284,60*?, dated November 16, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMiN PALMER, ot Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ot' lllinois, have invented certa-in new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Propelling` Vessels, ot which I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereoi", which will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to construct and operate the same, reference being had to the accompanying' drawings, and ,to letters of reference marked thereon, which torni a part ot' this specitication.

Figure 1 is a side elevation ot the hull of a vessel or boat embodying my iml'irovement. Fig. 2 is a view, looking from above, of the interior ot' the hull, showing the arrangement ot' the liropelling mechanism; Figs. 3 and 4,

inverted or bottom views oi' the hull, showing' the propeller-blades, and Fig. 5 a transverse section in the plane a' Fig. a.

rIhe object ot' this invention is the construction oi' certain improved mechanism for the propulsion otl vessels, and is designed to be operated in connection with steam or other motive power, the exact arrangement and construction ot' which will be hereinafter more fully explained in det-ail.

rlhe nature of this invention consists in em ployin g a series of propelling-blades, arranged underneath the hull of the vessel, having a vibratory action, and which move or oscillate in a transverse direction relative to the longitudinal position of the keel ot' the vessel. These propeller-Vides may be made ot' any suitable metal, t it preferably ot steel, and possess a greater or less degree ot' iiexibility, as practical working may require.

In referring to the drawings, A represents the hull of a vessel or boat, and B the keel. a a a a are a series of iiexible propeller-blades, which are placed upon'the bottom and stern of the vessel, and are located on both sides of the keel B, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings. rIhese propelling-blades have a vibratory or oscillating motion and move in a horizontal plane.

The propelling-blades a are attached to the vertical shafts C, which extend from the exterior to the interior of the vessel. To the upper or inner ends oi the vertical shafts C are attached the crank-arms b b, which in turn Application filed March 22, 1880. (No model.)

are connected to the parallel guide-arms a a'.. The horizontal connecting-rods D D form the connection between the guide-arms a a and the crank-shaft E. This crank-shaft is provided with the double cranks c c, which, as shown in Fig. 2 ot' the drawings, are placed on the same side of the crank-shaft E, which causes the propelling-bliules to move outward i'rom both sides of the keel at the same time. l, however, do not strictly confine myself` to any particular movement of the propellerbladesfbut may so construct the operating mechanism as to produce an alternate action ot' the propellers-that is, when one ot' the blades is moving out from the keel the next blade adjacent to it on the same side of the keel will be movinginward, and so on through the series of blades employed, or the blades may be so arranged as to impart an alternate movement to the propeller-blades relative to the keel ot' the vessel-that is, when the series of propellers on the one side of the keel move outward therefrom the propellers on the opposite side of the keel are moving inward7 as shown in Fig. et ot' thefdrawings.

I propose to employ any number ofthe prol pelling-blades that practical working may require, and usually locate them near the after part oi' the vessel.

I may employ gear-wheels to cap the vertical shafts C, instead ot' the crank-arms herein shown, or make use of any proper connecting mechanism that may be the most efcient in transmitting the power from the motor to the propelling-blades. i

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Iletters Patent, is-

In mechanism for propelling vessels, the combiuation, with the hull A and keel B, of the series ot' iiexible propeller-blades a c, arranged in regular order on the under side ot` the hull, on both sides ot' the keel, and vibrating in a horizontal plane relative thereto, and adapted to have either a regular or alternate action relative tothe blade or blades placed opposite each other, substantially as herein shown and described.

BENJAMIN PALMER.

Witnesses:

LYMAN GUINNIP, LEMUEL B. GOUPLAND. 

